Dear Mustang Families: 

Thank you to the many families who joined us at ‘Meet the Teacher’.  We were able to share the pillars of our strong school community during this event: 

SJAM School Council:  Our engaged School Council Members look forward to welcoming interested parents into the school on Tuesday evening (6:30 – 8:00 pm:  agenda shared on Tuesday).  One of the most important ways parents/guardians and community members can make a meaningful difference for students is by participating on the school council. Under the Education Act, a school council is a collective association designed to advise the principal and the CBE Board of Trustees on matters related to the school. School councils have legislated advisory and decision-making authority defined within the Education Act and the School Councils Regulation.   

Chairperson/President:  Michelle Wood 

Treasurer:  Jennifer Razzo 

Secretary:  Laurier Leier 

Volunteer Coordinator:  Hope Lewis 

Co-Chair and Key Communicator:  Vacant - this seat could be yours!

SJAM Clubs:  We encourage every student to participate in SJAM Clubs rather than going off campus at lunch time.  This is also a great way to meet new friends! 

SJAM Staff:  If you need to contact a teacher, please send them an email.  If you are not hearing back, you are welcome to reach out to the Administration.  Note: CBE filters sometimes send emails to ‘junk folders.  If you are not hearing back, this could be the case.   

Athletics:  Optional School Clothing – details are now on the website given the legislation below.  

Under Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL), you will need to subscribe to get commercial emails on topics like field trips, picture days, fun lunches, or other important activities.  If you would like to receive commercial messages, you need to ‘opt in’ or subscribe to them.  Ms. Reynolds (sareynolds@cbe.ab.ca; main office) can talk you through this if you are struggling to be added.  Link:  https://cbe.ab.ca/news-centre/school-messages/Pages/default.aspx 

Compassion Challenge:  Mr. Jensen shared this visual with families on Thursday night:  Acts of Compassion Challenge .  As our school community embraces ‘compassion’, how can we truly build a ‘welcoming, caring, respectful and safe’ school?    Parents are a child’s most important teacher: we value and appreciate your active support of compassion.  To what extent could you engage in a compassion challenge at home?  

Growth Mindset:  During Meet the Teacher, SJAM teachers presented information on how to encourage your child to develop resilience and engage in academic work, even when it is ‘hard’.  Students with a growth mindset will often see challenges or setbacks as an opportunity to learn. As a result, they respond with constructive thoughts (e.g., “Maybe I need to change my strategy or try harder”), feelings (such as the thrill of a challenge), and behaviors (persistence). You could consider posting ‘growth mindset’ visuals in your child’s room:  google ‘images - growth mindset’.  Our Math team provided families with a handout that reinforces this truth: 100% of students can be successful in math, with a growth mindset.  

Wednesday Homeroom:  This past week, students began to explore the 4S (Sparks, Strengths, Struggles, Supports):  4S Handout.  A growth mindset is embedded in this activity, with the recognition that our sparks and strengths can empower us through our struggles, with a strong support system.     

In this week’s homeroom, we will be exploring a Canadian Hero:  Mr. Terry Fox.  Tragically Hip fans will be inspired by this video that your children saw at our Compassion Assembly:  FINISH IT.  Our whole school will engage in the Terry Fox Run on Friday (period 3 and 4).  Students are encouraged to bring a Toonie for Terry that will be redirected to the Terry Fox Foundation.    

Note: Tug of War has been moved from this week to next week. 

First School Dance of 2025-26: ‘I Am Canadian’ Theme - Thursday (2:30 – 5:00 pm).  Tickets go on sale on Monday ($3) while the price increases to $4 on Tuesday and Wednesday. Due to attendance checks, we do not sell tickets on the day of dances.  If the cost of the dance is a challenge for your family, please have your child come see Mr. Jensen, Mr. Kwiatkowski or Ms. Hornby by Wednesday.  Several students also earned a free ticket to the dance by demonstrating compassion.   

Students earn the privilege to attend school dances by supporting the CBE Student Code of Conduct. Rights and responsibilities go hand in hand, and to have successful dances, we must have a “welcoming, caring, respectful and safe environment that respects diversity and fosters a sense of belonging for all members of our school community.” With that said, we want to communicate some specific expectations for our dance. We appreciate parent support in discussing these expectations at home: 

Come to the dance to enjoy time with friends and to dance.  

• Phones and all bags/purses are to be kept in lockers and students will not have access to them for the whole dance 
• Surround yourself with people who you have positive relationships with…and dance. 

Be at school to be at the dance.  

• Students must be present for all classes on the day of the dance, unless they have a medical/dentist appointment. 
• "Regular" attendance in classes from the beginning of the school year is also a determining factor in being a guest at school dances; extenuating circumstances such as illness or family events will be taken into consideration. 

Plan to stay for the duration of the dance.

• Students are expected to stay at the dance once they arrive. If a student needs to leave early for an appointment etc., s/he/they must have written parent permission to leave at a specific time, arranged prior to arrival. The student must check with the supervising adult with whom they made these arrangements before they depart. 

Food and drink need to be consumed in the front foyer.  

• Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle. Limited snacks will be available for purchase.  

Athletics: Mr. Jones 

All three sports are fully underway with Cross Country already having had their first meet this past Thursday. Congrats to all of the Mustangs that represented our school. Meet #2 at West Confederation Park this Tuesday.   Soccer games begin this week with Basketball tryouts entering into the second week.  Good luck to all aspiring athletes.  

Please see our Athletic school website for practice information until the end of October.  If changes are made to the athletics schedule, coaches will communicate with players and parents. 

School Calendar  

Friday September 5:  CBE Forms past due to the Main Office – distributed during opening homerooms. 

Tuesday September 16:     

• Cross Country Meet #2 at West Confederation Park  - formerly named Canmore Park. Runners may be dropped off at the Cardinals Baseball Diamond at the corner of 19th Street & Chicoutimi Drive NW. Park within the community of Triwood or along Canmore Road on the south side of West Confederation Park. 
• 6:30 – 8:00 pm:  School Council Meeting #1   

Wednesday September 17:     

• Homeroom: Terry Fox, as a Canadian Hero, supporting cancer research  
• RESTART Program starts for Grade 7 students 

Thursday September 18:   “I am Canadian” Welcome Back Dance:  2:30 – 5:00 pm.  Tickets on sale this week. 

Friday September 19:  Terry Fox Run – Blocks 3 and 4   

Monday September 22: Cross Country Meet #3 at Confederation Park - This race starts and finishes next to the Rosemount Community Association building located at 2807 10 St NW. Limited parking available at both the Rosemount Community Association parking lot & the Confederation Park parking lot just off of 10th Street between Rosehill Drive & 23rd Avenue NW. 

Tuesday September 23:  Grade 9 Tug of War at lunch (moved a week) 

Wednesday September 24:   

• Wisdom Wednesday HR:  Storytelling, from Elders and Knowledge Keepers  
• Grade 8 Tug of War at lunch (moved) 
• RESTART program for Grade 7s:  Session 2 

Thursday September 25:   

• Together Thursday:  engage in art projects that support truth and reconciliation  
• Grade 7 Tug of War at lunch (moved) 

Friday September 26:  Orange T-Shirt Day at SJAM supporting The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation  

Monday September 29:  No school for students – Organizational Day for Teachers  

Tuesday September 30:  No school for students or staff to recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 

Wednesday October 1:   

• RESTART program for Grade 7s:  session 3 
• Whole school homeroom:  Executive Functioning 

Together We Make A Difference!